Oettinger warns Poland over new media law

European Commissioner Günther Oettinger accused Poland of infringing “common European values” by passing legislation that gives the government control of the state media and the power to directly appoint the heads of public broadcasters.

In an interview with the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on Sunday, the commissioner for the digital economy and society said: “Many reasons exist for us to activate the ‘Rule of Law mechanism’ and for us to place Warsaw under monitoring.”

“A director (of public radio or television) cannot be dismissed without cause. It would be arbitrary.”

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wants to implement the rule of law procedure, in place since 2014 to protect against “systemic dangers to the rule of law,” the paper reported

If the law remains in place, Warsaw could eventually lose its voting rights at the European Council, according to France 24.

Under the new law, senior figures in public radio and television would be appointed and sacked by the treasury minister. Current managers and supervisory board members of Poland’s public broadcasters will be fired with immediate effect.

The legislation has been condemned by media rights organisations, including Reporters Without Borders, the European Broadcasting Union and the Association of European Journalists.

The issue has been placed on the agenda of the Commission’s next meeting on January 13.

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Verita-Semper

Curiously, Ms. Minns writes a one-sided negative piece without providing an opposing view. This is consistent with similar total lack of pluralism of views in the Polish media which she defends in her opinion piece.

To the uninformed reader, Ms. Minns does not offer one shred of opposing view that in fact the public media in Poland have not only become one sided in support of the losing side (Civic Platform), but in reality have become the media of propaganda for the current opposition which itself does not know how to function in the role of opposition.

Per Ms. Minns, one would gather that the only correct rule of law comes from Brussels, dominated by bureaucrats who are not elected by anyone but who are simple delegated to their positions.
Whereas, it is the Polish Parliament, duly elected by the majority of voters, drafted and sent to Poland’s President the new short term duration law (it expires in June) for his signature. It is anticipated that by June, another – more sweeping regulation – will be drafted to create real and lasting pluralism in Poland’s public media. It is worthwhile to mention (something that Ms. Minns avoids) is that the new media regulations are endorsed by the Poland’s independent Association of Journalists (SDP). The association laments the fact that many of the so-called journalists in the public media have in reality become functionaries of active propaganda.

A single, but poignant, example is the amount of air time devoted to two individuals representing the opposing sides of the discussion in Poland. Since October (the election to Poland’s Parliament) President Andrzej Duda was provided with 14 minutes of air time, while the leader of the opposition (and darling of the “public media”) Mr. Petru was afforded 6 hours of air time. Any normal observer would conclude that indeed there is a problem which justified a corrective course.

Did Mr. Oettinger and Ms. Minns see a problem with this approach to “plurality of views”? Of course not.

Posted on 1/3/16 | 5:07 PM CET

Thucydides

There isn’t such a thing as independent media. And certainly, state media could never qualify as such. The best one can hope to achieve is freedom of the media, within the context of freedom of speech.

Posted on 1/3/16 | 6:55 PM CET

Antoni J. Wrega, historian

There is a big misunderstanding on the part of Western public opinion as far as Polish matters. It is understandable. I am not an expert of many, if not much countries in the world. But I am pretty much oriented what’s going on in my country. So,… Dear Mr. Oettinger, Dear Mr. Verhofstedt, Dear Mr. Timmermans, Dear Mr. Cienski [Politico, buddy of disgraced Radek Sikorski], and all concerned, REMEMBER ONE THING — Poland is not and will be not a kind of ‘bantustan’. Poland is proud and independent Nation. Now we are in the process, a democratic process of getting rid from all kind of Communist, post-Communist and crypto-Communist ghosts of our Past. You, the West, did nothing to liberate us, quite contrary your leaders left us in Yalta in Stalin’s grip. Please, be so kind and take more and more efforts to solve, for instances migration crisis, world poverty, Syria and Ukraine crisis, and so on. Polish citizens decided in a parliamentary election what is needed for them and we simply do not need false prophets from another world. Take yours advices for yourselves and please stop meddling in Polish affairs. Otherwise, you make yourselves quite ridicule and really hypocrite. So-called ‘Polish daily’ Gazeta Wyborcza was made by children and grandchildren of Stalinist dignitaries from the Communist times. It does not represent a Polish public opinion. So its so-called reports have zero value for an average reader in Poland. Please do not cite pure nonsense.

Posted on 1/3/16 | 7:31 PM CET

Prem kolodziej

Firstly thank you Verita-Semper for providing an excellent overview of the situation and what I feel is a true reflection of the relevant matters.

Secondly as a polish citizen I’m more worried hearing these eu politicians and their threats towards Poland then I’m about the recent policy changes.

Merkel, Juncker and every other control freak from Brussels aren’t really concerned about our democracy but really for losing a mean to feed polish minds with their propaganda. Most of polish private media are foreign so it’s about time for a state media to have polish national interest at heart.

Posted on 1/3/16 | 8:06 PM CET

Pexi

The main reason is that Cdu has secretly financed the civil platform and put in place a lot of muppets in Poland to help them to buy for a bargain a lot o company and with media not anymore onder the control of the old liberal communist alliance all big and smal affairs will start to be know by everyone and the German economic control of Poland will disappear. That s why Germany and all others muppets are making so much noise. Poland for the first time since 1939 has a independent government chosen in democratic election.

Posted on 1/3/16 | 8:08 PM CET

Antoni J. Wrega, historian

How about Germany’s reparations for WWII atrocities and all instigated by Germans losses to Poland? Maybe, the time has just come? At least.

Posted on 1/3/16 | 8:37 PM CET

Pooolish guuuy

Last time Poles where preached about “insufficient European standards of freedom ” by Germans was thru Joseph Goebels mouth,not that long ago..We didn’t lessen…So Concentration Camps and dead of 9 milion our Mather and Fathers,Sisters & Brothers follow..
There we are again..
Günther Oettinger,Teutonic Ubermensch ,overseeing “European Standards of Freedom” in Europe steeped in direction his predecessor.
Drang nach Osten… We know what this mean very well..1000 years we Poles are accustom to this German rhetoric.
Again ,last time didn’t work for them ,but they were so close to crate from Slavic Untermensch perfect Slave..and 1000 Years lasting Rich..
Nowadays they just change approach and instruments of conquest .
“Freedom,Democracy,Prosperity,Peace “..Pax Germanica ..you can hear the same empty slogans again…if they would just like to follow this principles in there own homeland….
Poor souls…Again there are wrong…After WAR they just started to have, there will be no Germany anymore..

Posted on 1/3/16 | 10:42 PM CET

ABL

There is no Freedom under EU Rule and there Never Will Be.

Posted on 1/3/16 | 11:34 PM CET

Max Saske

The same gang of PiS trolls spouting misinformation, aggressive language and resentment on this thread. Under every article about Poland in Politico they have to remind us that ignorance is very well indeed.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 6:16 AM CET

knight

Günther Oettinger was not elected into his position by the power of the people. The current Polish government has a democratic mandate and fulfils the wish of the majority of Poles. Poles do not want public TV that is pro-one party as it had been under the PO rule.
Being German, Mr. Oettinger should be careful where he treads when it comes to Poland. German arm-twisting and bullying has a long history in Poland and in the long run Germany has never been the winner of German thuggish behaviour. The current anti-Polish frenzy in the German media will be remembered by the new generation of Poles who know the war only from history books. Young Poles will remember German media violence and anti-Polish prejudice.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 8:11 AM CET

Zygmunt Stolarz

It looks like there always has to be some kind of hysteria among the German politicians. Not stretching far back, there was anti-Swiss hysteria, then there was anti-Italian hysteria, followed by anti-Greek and anti-Hungarian hysteria. Soon German politicians and the German press will chase their own tail in anger.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 9:27 AM CET

jott

Dear Verita-Semper, dear Prem kolodziej and other supporters of the present PL government: why don’t you begin your messages by declaring that you like the illiberal approach to the practice of democracy? it would be then a bit easier for the non-Polish readership of Politico to understand the reasons behind the one-sidedness and strong pro-PiS bias of your views

Posted on 1/4/16 | 10:12 AM CET

Pooolishh guyuu

re: Jott
…”illegal practice of democracy”….
Yeah ,everyone in Europe know “practices of German democracy”..
Particularly Polish people..
Come to Poland to see latest monuments of “German democracy in action “like Auschwitz,Treblinka,
Whom they want to fool ? We know this is no about freedom or democracy,but about German rules of domination and Teutonic bulling weaker neighbors…
Just read who Gunther Oettinger is and his record of “democratic practices “

Posted on 1/4/16 | 11:51 AM CET

kawalec

Global and German companies do not pay taxes in Poland. The new Polish government promised to make them pay taxes. We are talking about 40 billion dollars annually. In response to this, the German press and government started to meddle into Polish affairs. It is simple: when you fight for money, you pretend that you stand for some idealistic principles, like freedom, democracy. But the reality is that Germany by unleashing anti-Polish sentiments just wants Poland to be a weak state in order to exploit it financially. Germans react like psychotics when they see the Poles emancipating themselves.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 1:21 PM CET

Simon

My dear polish comrades, don’t listen to voice of reason, step on the way which Russia invented before!

Posted on 1/4/16 | 3:51 PM CET

Major Pain

jubus

It seems that Brussels wants to make Poland, leaving EU. If so I will be pleased, since I’ve never been supported of membership in the EU. The last time, when Polish public media were unbiased, was in 1990’s. 2000’s and 2010’s is a period of domination of left-wing, pro-EU bias. The last 8 years is a dark period and pro-EU propaganda and brainwashing. Even under communism, there was no such an ammount of propaganda.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 6:27 PM CET

Malden

Some facts:
The party that lost the October 2015 election in Poland (PO) ruled for eight years. Here are the results:
40 percent of Poles live under the poverty line (figures from Polish Statistical Office)–more than when PO took power in 2007
80 percent of banks in Poland are foreign-owned, -often acquired through cronyism, sweetheart deals with bribes paid to PO government officials
70 percent of local press is owned by German companies (no wonder Mr. Oettinger is particularly upset about the new government’s attempts to change this)
One of the most vocal opponents of the new democratically elected Parliament and government, Mr. Tomasz Lis, iseditor-in-chief of a weekly owned by Axel Springer
Other than that, I sign myself under Verita-Semper’s remarks.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 7:45 PM CET

adam

Oettinger should stay out of what are internal affairs of any sovereign country. It only makes sense that the state has the ability to have some say in what is a state broadcaster. There is plenty of private broadcasters in Poland that can air what ever they please on TV. It would be nice having one station that does not follow the corporate model. This is common in most countries.

Posted on 1/4/16 | 8:28 PM CET

pexi

Could the German commissionaire provide us his letter to the Belgian authority about the Belgian legislation “giving the government control of the state media”?

Could Mr Juncker, before he had emptied his new bar (the old one was too small), provide us with his letter to the Belgian government asking to respect the rule of German “law”…?

Because in Belgium you have la aw that foreseen the change of the managing board at every election in accordance with the result of the election…and appointed by the local Parliament…disgusting…anti-democratic…when did the procedure had been started against Belgium…?

nostradamus

I’m a german. And I have some (small) insight in european and polish politics.

I have seen those anti PiS demonstrations some weeks ago. Of course a lot of people, 20 or 30 thousand. And some news that I heard about the new government – as they were spread in many german media – gave a dark picture.

BUT I think that the new government has been elected by millions – though there are some coalitions – and they work according to what the voters want. Compared to millions thos 20.000 people demonstrating are nil.

Mey second conclusion and thinking at the moment is, that neither Oettinger, Juncker, Schulz or whoever has the right tin make pressure on the democratic government of any country.

To me, all polish people – wahtever political opinion they have – are nice and respected people. And the EU shouldn’t turn out to be another version of the soviet pact of dark times.

One last word: those ramblings about WW2 compensation etc. give me a bad taste of those coming up with that strange arguments. Remember: Not all germans have the opinion that is loudmouthed through the media. think about that.

Greetings

Posted on 1/6/16 | 5:54 AM CET

associate

A technical question: Mr Ottinger expressed its view concerning conformity of the new PL media law adopted on 30/12/2015 with EU-law on Sunday 3/01/2015, it is a mystery to me on what grounds or legal analysis did he base his statements, as we all know very well that all services of the EU-Commission have been on holidays for the last 2 weeks, i.e. till 3/01/2015?

Posted on 1/6/16 | 2:59 PM CET

nostradamus

@associate
You can bet that Oettinger has surely had a copy of that law for many weeks and had his lawyers working on it. I think on 12/30/15 it was signed, but has been spread around for discussion long before.
So it was some kind of ‘instant certificate’

btw. just a few words about Oettinger: His brain has never been bright but somehow he made it up to be minister president of federal state BW. People got mad of him because the vacuum in his head and pushed him ‘up’ to EU.

See here .. and learn that some people make career without any talent :

Udo Seiwert-Fauti

So…..the Polish officials have gathered on this page to express their one-sided views without even mentioning the intensive protests on Polish streets against their poltics. Donßt tell they are all traitors or against the Polish feelings. . Be transparent and tell us who you belong to. I guess this will be very interesting BUT remember not even you own Polish media, have a look to the European Convention for Human Rights and the meda and freedom of expression parts of it. The media decide who will be broadcast and not people on here ticking again the minute of broadcasting time boxes. I agree there should be a more balanced vierw on the majorny of other Public Service broadcasters in Europe. Well, if the French Government OWNS all PSB Tv stations and RFI and appoints the Director Gererals…this also raises questions. If Poland is such a proud nation as you write in here, then be proud enough and don´t put this in line with your taking over of the media. That really is what it is! NO, really NO politician or any government has the right to own media or appoint Directors. If you want indepedne tmedia then you have tio live with criticism, you pird Polish people in here. If you like it or not. Do not hide your politics…tell us open where you belong to…irony: I didn´t know there are any “St Petersburg trolls” in Poland who take any official line and switch off their brains when starting to write…juist tell us who has ordered you to write, be transparent…you all, sound equal…

Posted on 1/9/16 | 8:34 AM CET

Rafal

That’s a joke America cab do abs say what ever but Poland can’t. Where is the freedom. Maybe the eu is a clan for certian intrests